Research and Development

HighRes Biosolutions announced the release of the ACell benchtop laboratory automation system in March of 2012. ACell is small enough for typical benchtop integrations and flexible enough for larger integrations on existing or new custom tables. ACell can incorporate a MicroDock, HighRes' patented device docking station, allowing swapping of instruments (such as a reader or pipettor) almost instantly, without having to reteach the robot or position and reconnect instruments manually.

The University of North Florida dedicated the $39.4 million Biological Sciences Building in March of 2012 in Jacksonville. The 116,500-sf facility provides 17 teaching labs, 37 offices, and 28 faculty research labs for the study of ecology, genetics, molecular biology, aquatics, physiology, and virology. Designed by a joint venture of Perkins + Will and Harvard Jolly, the building also houses four lecture halls, conference rooms, a necropsy lab, and a greenhouse. Construction began on the four-story project in July of 2010.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis broke ground on the $25 million Science and Engineering Laboratory Building in March of 2012. Supporting programs in biomedical engineering, psychobiology, information technology, and renewable energy research, the 81,500-gsf project will house teaching and research labs, meeting rooms, and administration. The facility will include nearly 34,000-sf of research and classroom space.

Temple University will begin construction in June of 2012 on a $137 million science and research building in Philadelphia. Designed by USA Architects, the 250,000-sf facility will include a 400-seat lecture hall, technology-rich classrooms, research labs, faculty offices, conference rooms, and an atrium. Completion is expected in spring of 2014. LEED sustainable design certification will be sought for the project, which will feature light shelves for daylight harvesting and a storm water management system. 

Valent BioSciences Corporation broke ground on a $146 million biorational manufacturing facility in March of 2012 in Osage, Iowa. Biorationals are products derived from natural or biological origins that are highly specific in their activity and have low impact on workers and the environment. The biorational industry has achieved steady growth in agriculture as awareness about needs for sustainable solutions in food production and distribution has increased.

The University of Texas at Dallas is planning to build an $85 million Bioengineering and Sciences facility. The project will provide classrooms, faculty offices, and laboratories for teaching and research. Construction will begin in November of 2013 with completion expected in December of 2015.

Battelle began construction in March of 2012 on a 20,327-sf research and development facility in Chelmsford in the United Kingdom. The building will house biotechnology, toxicology, and formulation development programs. The world-class research center will house advanced laboratories for the development of agricultural, food, and health care products. The facility is located in the Chelmsford Business Park and will open in April of 2013.

The University of Sydney has selected Brookfield Multiplex to build the $230 million Charles Perkins Centre on the Camperdown campus. The research and education facility will support the study, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Accommodating 950 researchers and 1,455 undergraduates, the 502,675-sf project will house laboratories, clinical research space, a biobank, a flow cytometry suite, and advanced imaging technologies.

The University of British Columbia opened the $40 million Centre for Comparative Medicine in March of 2012 in Vancouver. The animal research facility provides biomedical research labs and vivarium space. The three-hectare project will replace UBC's existing Animal Care Center and implements new animal welfare and humane animal care standards, including social housing and outside access. 

The Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute opened its $47 million research facility in Port St. Lucie, Fla., on February 29, 2012. Located in the Tradition Center for Innovation, the four-story, 100,000-sf building houses advanced laboratories for the study of immunology and infectious diseases. The general contractor for the project was Whiting-Turner of Tampa. Ground was broken on the facility in October of 2010.

The Jackson Laboratory has selected Tsoi/Kobus Associates and Centerbook Architects to design its planned $1.1 billion JAX Genomic Medicine facility in Farmington, Conn. Located on 17 acres at the University of Connecticut Health Science Center, the 173,000-sf  personalized medicine laboratory will house 300 researchers, technicians, and staff. Occupancy is expected in 2014.

Wilkes University broke ground on a $35 million science building in March of 2012 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The 72,500-sf facility will provide collaborative learning spaces including laboratories and classrooms, as well as business incubator space to support interactive research with The Commonwealth Medical College, Geisinger Health System, and Community Health Care. The building will house the departments of biology, chemistry, biochemistry, health sciences, environmental engineering, and earth sciences.

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics celebrated the opening of the $12 million Holden Cancer Center in February of 2012. Offering state-of-the-art care in 64,000 sf of renovated space, the facility is located on two floors in the Pomerantz Family Pavilion. It includes new clinic and infusion bay areas in a modern, patient-friendly environment, providing everything from chemotherapy to radiation and other treatments. The new cancer clinic provides a significant increase in patient space from the prior facility, which was located in an adjacent building.

Wake Forest University opened the 242,000-sf Biotech Place in February of 2012 in Winston-Salem, N.C. Located in Piedmont Triad Research Park, the facility underwent a $100 million renovation to provide 217,000 sf of research space for 320 employees of Wake Forest University Health Sciences. The building also includes a 25,000-sf business incubator. Wexford Science and Technology LLC of Baltimore was the developer of the BioTech Place. 

The University of Tartu has selected Nordecon AS to design and build a $12 million translational medicine facility on Toomemägi Hill in Tartu, Estonia. Construction will begin on the three-story, 61,484-sf project in summer of 2012. The center will be built as an extension of the existing Chemistry Building and will include an animal vivarium, research labs, a cleanroom, surgical suites, an MRI imaging department, offices, and seminar rooms.